Surrogate Son
by Clopin K. Trouillefou
Summary: A mysterious gargoyle has been sighted in Manhattan, but the clan doesn't know who it is. Could Goliath's surrogate son have survived all these centuries?


It was a dull night for the gargoyles in Manhattan; Lexington tapped at his computer, Broadway was looking for something to eat. Brooklyn was sitting on the floor in front of the TV with Angela resting her head on his shoulder. Goliath was leaning against the doorway waiting for Elisa to get off her shift. Hudson flipped through channel after channel, Brooklyn wishing he'd just pick something. Just then, he stopped as the news came on.

"Reports continue to come in from all over the island," the reporter said on the screen, "of a new gargoyle. It is believed that it is not of our resident clan and has never been seen before the last few nights."

"Hudson, turn it up," Goliath said as he came over to see.

"Just tonight," the news continued, "We were able to catch a good glimpse of this creature. It appears to be a young male with pale peach skin and black hair, with a thin, wiry and very scrawny build. The city zoo is offering a generous reward for its capture."

"We mean this creature no harm," a representative from the zoo came on, "We want only to study it so that we might gain more knowledge of these creatures we call gargoyles."

Hudson turned off the TV and looked at the clan's leader; Goliath emitted a low growl at the thought of humans capturing and caging one of his kind. 

"We must find him," he growled, "Before the humans do, especially the Quarrymen or the Hunter. It is far too dangerous for a gargoyle to be out there alone and a stray one at that."

"So what do we do?" Brooklyn asked.

"Brooklyn," Goliath replied, "You and Angela survey Central Park. Lexington, you and Broadway patrol the skies. I will inform Elisa. Hudson…"

"I'll stay here, lad," the elder answered, "Someone needs to watch Bronx."

"Good," the leader responded and walked out with the others.

They made their way to the highest tower and each pair, save Goliath, set off in their designated directions. Broadway and Lexington patrolled the skies, Brooklyn and Angela took off for Central Park and Goliath headed for the police station.

Brooklyn and Angela split up, deciding they'd cover more ground that way and Angela headed in the direction of the lake. From above, she could see someone's silhouette in the waters; she landed in the brush by the lake for a closer look. It was a light-colored gargoyle, a young male, his black hair wet, with his back to her. She moved closer to the edge of the brush and saw a brown loincloth and black belt hung on a branch. She turned her attention back to the gargoyle; from what she could see his wings were three fingered with a single elbow spike at the bend. His outer wings were black and looked too big for his scrawny, wiry frame. He dove underwater and resurfaced with a large fish in his hands and made his way to the shore. Angela's eyes widened as he emerged, his nude body glistening in the moonlight and sending a shiver up her spine. 

The young male was thin, his build, being somewhat muscular, was lithe and elegant, his waist narrow with long thin legs. His calves were well defined, his taloned feet rather big for his small form, his tail too long. His jaw was narrow, nose long and pointed but not as to make him unattractive. His eyes were black and fathomless, black eyebrows arched above those large round eyes. His hair in a widow's peak with small horns on either side, not unlike her own. Large pointed ears framed his narrow, handsome face and, like his tail, feet and wings, were too big for his thin seemingly frail body. She took a step forward and instantly regretted it; she'd stepped on a twig. Having heard her, the male was alert and turned towards her, eyes ablaze with white light.

"Who's there?" he growled in a light Scottish accent.

"It's all right," Angela answered, emerging from her hiding place, "I mean you no harm."

"Who are ye?" he asked, still snarling.

"My name is Angela," she replied, gently, "And you are…?"

"Intruder!" he practically roared, spreading his legs apart in a defensive stance, "You intruded upon my privacy!"

"I'm sorry," she apologized, "I didn't mean to, but you must listen to me. You are in great danger, humans are…"

"Of no great concern to me," he returned, "So leave me be, Angela did you say? Leave this…UNGH!"

All of a sudden, a laser hit the young male gargoyle in the back, but he managed to remain on his feet. Angela caught sight of a human only a few feet away wearing a black mask marked by three red slashes across the face.

"The Hunter!" she gasped.

Her companion straightened himself and turned to this new threat, preparing to pounce but another shot was fired and a net-like contraption wrapped itself around him. The moment it made contact with his body, it sent a pulse of electricity through his body. The shock was already strong enough to take down even the largest gargoyle, but was made worse by the water still dripping from his body. As soon as the device let go, the young gargoyle collapsed to the ground. Angela knelt beside him and searched for his pulse; she found it, though it was barely there. She glared at the Hunter, releasing an angered battle screech and in an instant was on her feet, her eyes glowing red.

Brooklyn heard a screech come from Angela's direction and immediately turned and flew to the lake. Below him, the Hunter stood ready to fight Angela a few feet from him. He dove and attacked the Hunter from behind, tackling him to the ground and picked up his adversary and banged him against a tree, knocking the Hunter out. Brooklyn let go and watched the unconscious Hunter fall to the ground, Angela approached them and took the cloak their enemy wore. She returned to the strange gargoyle and covered him with it.

"Angela?" Brooklyn wondered, approaching her, "What the…?"

"I'm assuming it's the gargoyle we were sent to find," she replied.

"C'mon, we have to get back to the castle," he insisted.

"We can't leave him here!" she protested.

"We're not!" Brooklyn picked up the gargoyle, "Now let's go, before Mr. Trigger- Happy wakes up!"

The pair ran for a boulder beside the lake and leapt off of it, opening their wings and soaring high into the air. When they returned, the others were gathered in the TV room looking grim.

Goliath sighed, wishing he'd been able to find the stray gargoyle; he'd had no luck nor had Lexington and Broadway. Then Angela came in, her wings caped around her shoulders, a look of despair on her face.

"No luck?" Goliath questioned.

"No, we found him," she answered, motioning behind her as Brooklyn came in with something in his arms, "but…"

Brooklyn laid the still body of a gargoyle on the couch as the others watched and came closer for a look. Goliath gazed down at the young male, his countenance one of sadness and loss, his eyes glistening with tears. He didn't hear Angela tell them about the Hunter's attack as he ran a talon along the side of the still gargoyle's face. 

"David," Goliath whispered.

"What?" Brooklyn asked.

"It's David," he replied, running a talon over the bright red scar across the stray's right eye lid, repeating, "It's impossible, but it's David."

"Goliath," his second-in-command rested a hand on his leader's shoulder, "David died with the rest of the clan. I know you miss him and how much he meant to you, but he's dead."

"No!" Goliath growled, his wings snapping open, "It _is_ David, I know it is! Look at him, Brooklyn, how can it not be! He has the very same scar, the exact same coloring and build. It can't be mere coincidence, it looks too much like David to not be him!"

"Well, whoever it is," Angela said, "He needs help!"

"He's still alive," Brooklyn added, "So let's get him to the castle's medical unit unless you want to lose him."

"There are too few of us left, Brooklyn," Goliath scowled, "We cannot lose anymore."

Goliath took the unconscious gargoyle into his arms gently and rushed to the medical unit and once there, laid him on an exam table. A doctor came in, having heard Goliath stampeding through the hall, goodness knows he makes enough noise. 

"What have we here?" he asked, pulling on a pair of gloves.

"What's it look like!" Brooklyn snapped.

The doctor ignored the comment and examined the gargoyle laying on the table, taking his pulse, looking at his eyes and listening for breathing or heart beat. 

"He's in a critical condition," he said, covering the young male with a blanket, "He's barely alive and dawn is still hours away. He may very well die."

"Please say you can help him," Goliath pleaded.

"I'll do what I can," the doctor replied, hooking the dying gargoyle up to a heart monitor and then inserting an IV needle into his arm, "Though I'm afraid there's little."

"Can he be saved?" Angela asked.

"Perhaps," was the answer, as a tube was inserted into the gargoyle's nose and a larger one taped near his mouth, "I'm sure that if he makes it till dawn, he'll be just fine."

"Until then, we can only hope and pray," Elisa added, a hand on Goliath's arm trying to comfort him, "There's nothing more we can do."

The clan turned and left, Goliath lagging behind a bit longer, gazing at the gargoyle on the exam table and followed the others.

The sun set, the Manhattan sky filling with the roars and bellows of waking gargoyles. Goliath leapt off his perch and made his way to the medical unit, expecting to see the stray gargoyle up and about. Instead, he still lay unconscious attached to the machinery and IV, the doctor standing beside him taking notes.

"Well?" Goliath approached.

"I'm afraid he didn't even turn to stone," the doctor answered, "And I think it's because of this."

He pointed to a pale blue crystal around the gargoyle's neck that they had overlooked in their rush to save him.

"I tried removing it," he continued, "But every time I touched it, I got a mild shock. The gargoyle has improved though, he's faring better."

Goliath gently grasped the younger male's hand, feeling in it life's warmth as he gazed down at the young male's closed eyes. He let go as he wheeled the doctor's chair by the bed and sat down, the chair groaning under his weight. He sighed, clasping his hands in front of him, and closed his eyes. 

The beeping of the heart monitor quickened slightly, Goliath's eyes snapping open, and the young gargoyle's finger twitched. His eyes also twitched, as he took a deep breath, and they slowly fluttered open. 

"Wha…where am I?" he asked, his voice barely more than a whisper.

"David?" Goliath asked.

The gargoyle turned his head and met Goliath's eyes and for awhile just sat and gazed at the pale lavender giant.

"Goliath?" he gasped, "Is it really you?"

Goliath closed his eyes, a smile appearing on his face, and nodded as the gargoyle, David, smiled weakly, eyes glistening with tears as he reached for Goliath. Goliath opened his eyes and took David's hand, gently pulling him into a sitting position. He embraced the younger male, careful of the tubes. He let go and helped David lay back on the bed, smiling down at him. The doctor meanwhile sighed, knowing that Goliath was probably going to insist on David being detached from the monitor and tubes. 

David slowly, but surely, regained his strength and settled into his new home and clan. He and Angela got to be good friends and regarded each other as brother and sister since Goliath was his surrogate father. He was a little cold toward Elisa though; his centuries of solitude and being hunted had decreased his tolerance for humans. She refused to give up on him, though, since Goliath treated him as a son she felt she should as well. With the trio, it was like old times, the only difference was that David had long since grown up and his fighting techniques had improved greatly. He proved himself to be a far more effective warrior and an irreplaceable member of the clan. But he soon proved that he still had a childish and rather immature side and got into bickers and wrestling matches with the trio and occasionally Angela. He found a soft spot in his heart for Goliath's daughter and rarely really fought with her and when he did it was all play.


End file.
